The Dragon Isle Chronicles - Book 1
by Mystery005
Summary: What if Hiccup leaves Berk before Astrid can stop him and if he meets fellow dragon riders? As he learns from these riders unlocks the mysteries of dragons and grow with his best friend Toothless but what happens when years later the viking teenagers that he use to know fall in and ruin his life? *Some characters used are not like their counterparts*
1. Chapter 1 - Winds of Change

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third watched as Toothless, his new friend, whined and looked to the sky. He hadn't known the NightFury that long but he had heard of the idiotic dragon riders. Heck he was one of them now. Toothless had been a good friend for the few weeks that he had known him and Hiccup had come to the suspicion that he had been trained by someone.

Toothless spread his wings and raised himself from where he had been on the ground. Hiccup looked to his new friend as he tried to take flight without the aid of Hiccup.

"Take it easy Toothless you can't fly without my help! Come back here!" Hiccup yelled at the dragon as he looked around distraught. Hiccup looked to the sky and saw what Toothless was getting worked up about.

High in the sky flew two very large dragons one being significantly larger than the other and only appearing briefly as the clouds parted. As soon as Hiccup had spotted them they had gone. Toothless continued to look up at where the dragons had been moments ago. Looking to Toothless he saw this in his friend. Sighing he looked to the bag that he had brought with him.

He was going to go on an _extended vacation_ and he didn't know when he would be back. Ever since he had been picked by the elder to kill the dragon he had been having an internal conflict. He could never kill a dragon now that he knew what he did about them. Their cat like personalities and their mutual like for one another when they got over all of the killing being what drew Hiccup to many of the dragons he had seen in the ring and on other islands after flying with Toothless.

A distant cry echoed above him. The call of a TimberJack. The two dragons seemed to be looking for something. Toothless began to call back to the TimberJack. A StormCutter returned the call. Toothless moved over to Hiccup and looked defeated. The black NightFury lay down at Hiccups feet and made whimpering sounds.

Hiccup ran and got the bag he had brought with him and slung it over his shoulder, "Come on bud. Let's go see these friends of yours," Hiccup said as he climbed onto his dragons back. Toothless bounded happily and flew up into the sky with both joy and speed.

Hiccup could barely keep up as Toothless continued all of the crazy and joyful flight patterns that Hiccup was just now learning that Toothless could pull off. Toothless continued to cry into the air and ascended higher and higher into the clouds. Hiccup felt the altitude catch up with him and petted Toothless to let him know about the sudden altitude sickness. The NightFury, having forgotten that he had a rider, lowered himself slightly and continued to fly manically.

Soon thinking that they had lost the two dragons Hiccup thought to himself, _why would a TimberJack and a StormCutter fly together?_ Hiccup had heard about the two species from both his father and his uncle. The two only stopped fighting one another long enough to fight humans. Hiccup, suddenly jolted to look around. The two dragons must have been a part of a dragon attack and were waiting for other dragons to join them. Knowing full well that he only had a dagger to defend himself he pulled himself as close to Toothless as he could to try and hide himself from other dangerous dragons.

Toothless felt his new partner lower himself along his back. Toothless continued to cry into the wind and look for the others. Not a moment later a large male StormCutter came swooping in on the smaller NightFury and his rider. The StormCutter's large and muscular legs, to Hiccup, looked like they were going to grab him and take him away from his partner. The large dragon would have no problem with that however it flew right over the smaller dragon.

Toothless cried happily as he went into a barrel roll. Hiccup went along with his partner's plan and adjusted the tail fin as it was needed. When Toothless finally stopped the sun disappeared. The TimberJack that he had seen earlier was now gliding above the two happily. Hiccup looked up to the much larger dragon. Mustering all of the courage, which was very easy due to the lack of it, he had sat back up straight and reached for the magnificent beast flying above him.

The underbelly of the dragon and its scales were soft to the touch. The TimberJack let out an ear piercing cry and flew in front of Toothless and dived back down into the clouds. Hiccup laughed as he watched the StormCutter descend from the height that he had been taking. As soon as it started to lower he noticed that there was a figure on the back of the large dragon.

The figure was about the same size or just smaller than him. It was wearing a large cloak that covered them and stood on the back of the dragon, directing where it moved and what it did. When the TimberJack emerged from the lower cloud levels he noticed that there was a similar figure perched on the dragon's neck just behind its head. Unlike the StormCutter and its rider the TimberJack's rider used the large horns on its head as a tool to guide the dragon.

The person on the StormCutter looked in Hiccup and Toothless' direction and waved at them. Hiccup looked at the mysterious dragon rider before he noticed that both riders were directing their dragons to bear right. Hiccup and Toothless followed the two other dragon riders, the stories of these dragon riders that his father had told him about crossing his mind only briefly. These dragon riders had been able to tame two of the largest dragons known and had been able to make them into friends that didn't fight one another at every turn.

Hiccup followed the two dragon riders. The person on the StormCutter had directed towards Toothless and Hiccup and had made the person on the TimberJack take notice. Hiccup had now unofficially joined two dragon riders in their small group. The two with the large dragons flew in sync and at times flew towards Hiccup showing off various moves and he copied some of them that the two did.

Finally after the morning and afternoon had been wasted on pointless flying and competing in an unannounced competition, they finally started to descend with their dragons. Hiccup didn't know where they were however he knew that they had been travelling away from Berk for the last few hours. When they finally broke through the clouds he noticed the island. It was made in a jagged circle and had a small run coming off of the far side. The green of the trees around the outside of the island protected the pool of water with a castle taking up a small sliver of the island and connecting the beach and the lake together.

Hiccup was in awe as the two flew down to the castle. On a closer look he could see that it was very, very old and was falling apart in a lot of places. The two descended on an area where the roof had been removed and had been made into a large clearing. Hiccup followed as they stopped and got off of their dragons. Hiccup watched the love and care between the dragons and the riders. Well the StormCutter and its rider at least, the TimberJack and its rider looked to have a slightly more complicated relationship. With the dragon tossing the rider high into the air and making a noise that could only be a dragon's laughter.

"You stupid reptile! I'm going to make you into a leather bag if you're not careful!" The rider who had just fallen off of the TimberJack yelled to the dragon who had taken a seat on the top of one of the towers. It continued to make a laughing like noise as it draped its head over lick the rider's hair that was protruding from under the helmet. She tried swatting away the large dragon as it now started to eat the hair.

"Inger! How many times do I have to tell you that you cannot turn your dragon into a bag?" The person who had rode the StormCutter said as she pushed her dragon off of the building's clearing that they were on. The large StormCutter flew off taking with it a few other dragons' that had been hanging off of the side of the castle. That's when the rider turned to him.

Both she and her companion had an almost animalistic nature to them. When the StormCutter had flown off the rider had adopted a different stance. Hiccup looked over to the rider's as both the StormCutter rider and the TimberJack rider were both crouched and using their forearms to move towards Hiccup and Toothless. Toothless had retracted his teeth and had started to leap over towards the TimberJack rider. The StormCutter rider however peered through the eye holes menacingly and moving like a dragon in movements.

"Look, I'm sorry if you didn't want me to follow you, but I can leave if you want me to. Just please don't hurt me," Hiccup said as the rider moved over to him and circled him, acting a lot like Toothless first had when they met.

"Welcome to the Dragon Isles. My name is Erica," The rider said as the rider removed the helmet, the long brown hair falling down.

A/N -

Mystery: This is written with a lot of OC's that have been created for the purpose of this story. Anything that resembles a real life situation or character's is completely coincidental.

Ruby: Are you going to tell them about the creativity invention?

Mystery: What creativity invention?

Dipsy: When am I being let out of this room?

Mystery: She walked in and she locked herself in there.

Ruby: Do you have the key?

Mystery: She does.

Ruby: Does she know how to use it?

Mystery: Nope.

Ruby: Favorite and Subscribe for more Epic How to Train Your Dragon Fanfiction!

Dipsy: And the awesome chronicles of Dipsy the closet guru!

Mystery: Why do we even live in the same house?


	2. Chapter 2 - The Dragon Isle

"The Dragon Isles?" Hiccup asked Erica as she regained her posture. Erica nodded as, Inger as Erica had called her, walked over with Toothless nudging her over towards Hiccup helpfully.

"The Dragon Isle's! Home of the most notorious and incredibly stupid Vikings known to all of Odin!" Inger said opening her hands wide and gesturing to the area around surrounding them. Toothless stood on his hind legs and raised his front legs up in the air and opened his wings, copying Inger in a more dragon like function.

"Well, that's if anyone knew about us. We know that tribes have made us into a bedtime story people tell their young to get them to be good," Erica said as she held onto her helmet keeping it under her arm protectively. Every so often she would turn and look at the dragons in flight around them, her large StormCutter leading the group of magnificent beasts.

"Hey we haven't kidnapped that many kids! I mean, kids, kidnapped?! How awful! Who would do such a thing?!" Inger said nonchalantly as both Hiccup and Erica looked at her where she quickly stopped herself and went over her words again trying to remember what Erica had said on bringing up kidnapping in front of guests.

Erica rolled her eyes at Inger's words as Hiccup looked at the girl with shock. Inger casually started to twiddle her thumbs as she smiled sheepishly trying desperately to remember the talk that she had once had with Erica about the kidnappings and how it should never be spoken about in public. Erica looked over to a small area where the wall had long ago been destroyed. A Gronckle was sitting on the area with a tongue lolling out of its mouth. It looked to Erica as she walked by. Inger ran over to her fellow rider, her sandy blonde hair in its large braids bouncing along behind her. The helmet she wore copying what her hair did only it was attached to her belt.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Erica asked looking to Hiccup.

Hiccup walked over and looked over the area. Large lush green trees covered a lot of the island, with many dragons flying above the tree line. The large StormCutter and TimberJack that had brought Erica and Inger here were flying with the others and were continuously leading more and more dragons from the forest around the island.

"It's incredible," Hiccup said in awe as he looked around at the scenery before him.

"Nights are even more incredible. Many of the dragons that leave during the day come back from hunting. You will never know true beauty until you see the lights of happy dragons coming back to their young," Erica said as the Gronckle turned around and started calling to the group of flying reptiles high up in the sky.

"If you don't find it beautiful you're crazy. I mean just look at the beauty that's out there," Inger said as she pointed towards the area in front of them, however at that moment her loving TimberJack blocked the view by moving in front of them, "Move you bloody reptile! Just beautiful!" Inger said as she pushed her dragon off the side. The angry TimberJack didn't take to kindly to what its rider just did and picked up speed enough speed to cut down 300ft of trees that were in its path effectively enraging Erica and causing more dragons to pour into the sky.

"Hey! If you're going to chop down trees cut down the pines on the other side of the castle! Those weeds are needed for winter! Inger control your dragon before he removes any more of the lumber that's not supposed to be removed for weeks!" Inger shrugged her shoulders as Erica glared at her with the intensity of a Deadly Nadder.

"Hey he has a mind of his own. It's not my fault he thinks he's a rebellious Viking teenager with the attitude of a sassy elder," Inger said as Erica sighed. Her large StormCutter left the group and flew towards the three teenagers. Erica smiled and walked over to her dragon as he had landed a few feet away from the group. Giving off a quiet roar Erica bounded over to the dragon and started to nuzzle his head.

Hiccup laughed as Inger defended herself for not having a well behaved or a well-trained dragon. Erica stood next to her large dragon and had started to purr to the large reptile who continued to rub his trainers head. Small cooing noises were being released by the large fearsome dragon as it returned the love and affection that Erica was giving it. Hiccup would have laughed at the scene but he was too fascinated by the affection that the dragon was displaying.

"Where did you get all of these dragons from? There is no way that they are all tamed or friendly," Erica looked to Hiccup and Inger laughed.

"Of course they aren't tamed; however most of them are friendly enough," Erica said as Inger continued to laugh and was slowly regaining her composure. Hiccup looked at her as she finished her laughing fit, wiping a few stray tears from her eyes.

"That is everything but the Whispering Death. The one we have is a real dog," Inger said rubbing her shoulder at the memory of a past experience with the mama Whispering Death that had made her home under the island and had also had a few eggs in her time adopting any babies she found abandoned on the bottom of the forest.

Suddenly there was a loud screech in the air. Hiccup and Inger looked around worried however Inger was more distraught than Hiccup knowing exactly who the noise belonged to. Erica sighed as Inger ran over to the ledge, "I'm sorry I love you, you psychotic dog! You're a beautiful mama I assure you, you filthy desert rose!" Inger yelled to what Hiccup could only guess was the mam Whispering Death that Inger had just talked about. He was getting an urge that he would never want to meet this dragon in particular.

Hiccup looked at Inger while Erica just shook her head, "The tamed dragons normally find others and bring them back. Sometimes we go and rescue them from other Viking tribes and save them from trappers. Your dragon has lived here and, like some of the others, went on dragon raids to appease the dragon queen so she didn't think anything of the less food she received and he didn't return. We know many of the dragons by name and personality. When Camicazi first came here there had barely been any life. The castle was here and there were remains of the village but there were no Viking settlements on this island or the surrounding ones. The fog makes it too hard to find," Erica said as her dragon nudged her legs, wanting to fly again. Hiccup nodded as Toothless moved back over to him and started to nudge him like how Erica's dragon was. It was apparent that Toothless was easily influenced by the larger dragon that Erica possessed.

Inger's dragon on the other hand…

Came back with the tail of a whale and held it proudly in its mouth like a dog with a bone and dropped it at her feet. Inger looked at the dragon angrily, "I said go and get the MAIL! Not go and get me a WHALE! You are such a stupid dragon!" Inger yelled while the TimberJack started making a dragon laugh similar to Toothless and his laugh. Small amounts of smoke came out of its mouth and nostrils as it did so. The smell of the whale was repulsing as Erica and Hiccup moved away slightly and Inger stared up at her dragon angrily. Toothless looked over the carcass confused as Inger soon gave up glaring and tried stabbing the air where her TimberJack had been but had now flown away.

"Why did your TimberJack do that?" Hiccup asked as Inger sighed and stopped trying to mass murder the air and microscopic organisms of where her dragon had just been.

"Fangbreak has always been like that. Though he is normally useful in winter when we need to get fresh wood. He's a nuisance every other time and doesn't listen to anyone. Well he listens to almost everyone but me,"

"And Gunnar and Odin," Erica listed off counting on her fingers. Inger shrugged. Hiccup looked to the two girls confused. Erica noticed this, "We're not the only ones on this island. No we would never be able to run this place all by ourselves," Erica replied as Hiccup nodded now knowing what they were talking about.

"So I have to impress those guys if I want to stay here?" Hiccup asked as Erica and Inger looked at one another not knowing how to answer his question truthfully without alerting the Terrors around the castle.

At that moment the sound of one of the heavy doors leading into the castle opened with its large creak. A ChangeWing materializing above the door, dangerous amounts of smoke pouring out from its nostrils, "No. you have to impress me,"

A/N

Dipsy: Oh look another chapter!

Mystery: I know its a miracle.

Ruby: Hey you let her out of the hole.

Mystery: No I locked the key in with her.

Ruby: Did she get out?

Dipsy: No I just don't know how to use the key!

Ruby: Review and favorite and anything else people like to do on the internet these days!


	3. Chapter 3 - Success means Impress

"Camicazi! Uh, what are you doing back so soon? I didn't notice Darkheart and I assumed you were visiting the Meathead clan, and uh, have I told you how menacing you look today. Just menacing," Erica stumbled over her words as she stood in front of Hiccup. Camicazi walked out of the castle with a Terrible Terror on her shoulder. The smokey grey ChangeWing, Darkheart, watching the group before him and making sure his master was alright. Her blonde hair was in dreadlocks behind her and her armor that she wore which was stained with blood. Hiccup would prefer not to know what creatures it was from.

"Move Erica, I want to see this _riff raff_ that you brought me," Camicazi said as Erica moved over to where the Gronkle and her StormCutter sat. The StormCutter and the Gronkle had an air of defense and respect about them when Camicazi had first moved out from the door.

Camicazi moved over to Hiccup. She didn't move in the same way that Inger and Erica had but still didn't move in the conventional way that other Vikings did. Her Terrible Terror moved around the girl's neck and was checking Hiccup over. The lanky teenager barely was able to keep eye contact because of her towering stature. As she moved her face closer to Hiccup he was barely able to keep himself from feeling sick.

"Where did you meet the NightFury that is now your partner?" Camicazi asked as Inger let out a sigh of relief but Erica still stood stiff. Camicazi moved over to Toothless and gave him an affectionate rub under his head. Toothless melted into the pat as Camicazi smiled at the interaction.

"Oh, um, it's a long story," Hiccup said getting nervous about the situation and having to tell obvious dragon lovers and protectors about harming his partner.

"We have time," Camicazi said as she moved around Toothless and looking over him, finding the tail fin that Hiccup had made to make it possible for Toothless to fly.

"Well, um, Toothless and I met a few weeks ago. There had been a dragon raid and I had shot down what I had thought had been a dragon and I went down and had found Toothless. I was going to kill him but when I saw him, looking as bad and as helpless as what I've always been I couldn't. Then I noticed that he didn't have a tail fin and after a while I was able to get his trust and was able to learn how to fly with him," Hiccup said sheepishly. He had left his home without any weapons, apart from his dagger but that was in his bag which was thrown next to Inger when he had first landed. He was seriously regretting leaving it there now with the look Erica was giving him. Camicazi on the other hand looked thoughtful.

"I was wrong Camicazi. He injured a dragon. The love between the two of them that was shown in the skies was not built on the things and the emotions our bonds were made upon. We should get rid of him," Erica said as Hiccup was slightly getting unnerved by Erica's hostility. He understood it however, Erica had been around dragons for a while by the look of her and he would do the same. Though he thought Inger would be the more hostile. At the moment however, she was chasing her dragon again.

"Erica, he may have harmed one of our dragons, however he is not a normal Viking. The only Vikings that I know that would save a dragon are on this island. He should not be judged. He made a mistake and he fixed it. Now tell me, how did you meet Inger and Erica?" Camicazi asked. Hiccup was thankful that he wouldn't be getting killed today and that Erica had settled down slightly when Camicazi had talked to her.

"I was flying away. They had wanted me to kill a dragon, I was chosen to. They believed that I was one of the best but because I had stayed around Toothless I had learnt a lot of the secrets of the dragons. How they hate eels to that they love the grass that grows on cliffs. I could never have killed a dragon after I found them to be much less dangerous than what they have always been made out to be," Hiccup said as Camicazi nodded.

"What were you know as in your village?" Hiccup was taken aback by the question. Nobody had asked for his name and he felt that it wasn't important for titles and names here.

Hiccup sighed, "My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third. My father is Chief Stoick," Hiccup said. Camicazi looked to Erica who nodded.

"Well then Hiccup, are you useful with a forge?" Hiccup looked to Camicazi.

"I'm still learning but I'm good enough to repair and create items," Hiccup said. He didn't normally like to boast about his smithing skills so he didn't.

"Inger, take Hiccup to one of the free quarters. Erica, take, Toothless, to one of the stable areas. Meet back up and take him to meet our other residents," Camicazi said as she walked away with her Terrible Terror climbing onto her shoulder as she moved back into the castle.

"Well then Toothless. Now that you have a name I can now make sure you don't get in trouble because you know I'll be calling. Come now, stables," Erica said as she hopped onto Toothless and flew off to what appeared to be some smaller buildings.

Hiccup was amazed that Toothless had followed Erica's instructions so quickly and fluidly. He watched as his best friend flew off with a complete stranger flying him. Hiccup knew deep down however that they had once looked after his companion. Inger coughed lightly as Hiccup turned his gaze away from Erica and his dragon to the doorway of the castle. Inger had pushed the large wooden door open; a cold breeze flowing through the door. Hiccup shivered as he walked behind Inger into a dimly lit corridor.

"Like the rest of us you are given six weeks to adjust and you will be kicked off the island if you don't meet Camicazi, Erica's or Bjorn's expectations. Don't worry though it's a majority vote. Camicazi would be the one to impress because she can rule out decisions made by Erica and Bjorn. She's the best though when you get onto her good side," Inger said as she led Hiccup through the large hallways. Many of the walls were covered in moss and some of the walls were adorned with weapons and tattered clothing.

Hiccup stopped to stare at one of the objects on one of the walls. A small tattered piece of dragon skin was pinned up with three throwing knives. Hiccup moved closer to the wall and stroked the dragon skin, feeling the reptilian scales beneath his hand. The skin had been worn and the tears were stained with what appeared to be blood. Inger stopped walking and moved over to Hiccup.

"Whose is this?" Hiccup asked turning to Inger.

Inger sighed, "Your better not to know. Come on I need to show you to your room, otherwise Erica will make me clean the stables for sure. That's a shit job," Inger said as Hiccup followed glancing quickly to the dragon skin again before leaving. The importance of the item and the stigma that had followed it and its owner being left where it had always been.

Hiccup followed behind Inger patiently as she peered into every other room checking for any signs of life in that room. Many of the rooms that Hiccup also looked in some of the rooms. One of the more notable rooms holding a slumbering man, swords and armor scattered on the floor as he slept peacefully holding a shaking Terrible Terror.

Inger had coughed to make him finally break his gaze with the man. When Inger had found an appropriate room she stopped and held the door open. Hiccup walked in with his bag on his back and a Terrible Terror perched on his shoulder. Inger had given it to him as they moved around the castle, the small dragon having followed them for a few rooms before she finally introduced him to the dragon.

"Here is your room. The only dragons allowed inside of the castle are Terrible Terrors and any hatchlings whose parents are one of our dragons or who don't have any known parents. The forge and our great hall are down this way and if you need anything Gunnar is that man that was sleeping. He will wake at dinner and take you down for it," Inger continued to tell him these important things as Hiccup looked over the room.

A large chest had been pushed up against a window which looked onto the lake below. He saw a few dragons flying over the water and birds flying away from the larger creatures. The bed in the room had been pushed up against the dark corner of the room, the Terrible Terror he had made friends with jumping over and curling up on the blanket at the end of the wooden bed.

Hiccup smiled as he turned to look at Inger again. Her face had lit up at the sight of his smile and she returned the expression, "How well do I need to impress?" Hiccup asked as she continued to look at him.

"Six weeks. Don't worry though; nobody has ever been kicked out. Were the only people that we know of to live like this. Sure there are a few other dragon riders out there but they separate themselves from clans and live by themselves," Inger said as Hiccup nodded taking in the information that he had previously skipped.

"Thank you Inger. Will I just be working on the smithing or are there other jobs that I would need to do?"

"We have never had a smith before so you have a lot of things to do. Firstly I saw Erica eyeing your Night Furies saddle. I would put in a bet that she would like one for her dragon because she prefers to sit and guide him, unlike some of us here who guide by weight distribution when standing," Inger said to Hiccup as he nodded again. A sure way to gain one vote at least.

However no sooner than Inger had finished her sentence there was a large stomping coming from down the hallway, "Inger!" A masculine voice yelled from down the hallway. She paled at the voice, turning and looking out the doorway before running to hide behind Hiccup.

She squeaked a small "Save me," as the form of a large man came into the doorway.

The man standing before them was monstrous and easily dwarfed Hiccup and his lanky form. His hair had been long forgotten and the dreadlocked hair had been pulled back into a ponytail. The gruff look on his face being ruined by the Terrible Terror licking its eye. Hiccup had forgotten about the demeanor of the man with the Terrors antics, that is until he opened his mouth.

"I see you Inger you can't hide behind a twig," He said to the girl, his voice lowering somewhat.

"Oh. Hi Bjorn," Inger stammered emerging from behind Hiccup.


	4. Chapter 4 - First Impression

"Spit it out lass, who's the twig," The man known as Bjorn asked as Inger had moved from behind Hiccup and had taken to standing in front of him.

"Uh Bjorn this is Hiccup, he arrived not so long ago and, well, funny story," Inger said stammering.

Bjorn looked unimpressed, "Spit it out lass or you'll swallow a Terror," This made Inger stand up somewhat straighter.

"He, uh, was found near Berk, and well, he rides a Night Fury," Inger said as Bjorn looked over Hiccup. He felt the man's pressing stare on him as he looked over his small frame. He would never be as large as his father but he would grow a bit more. How much he didn't know.

"Berk and a NightFury, now that is something that normally includes the word killed or dead," Bjorn said chuckling moving over to Hiccup and placing his large hand on his shoulder, "As Inger has said I am Bjorn, second to Camicazi and equal to Erica," Bjorn said talking to the smaller man.

Hiccup felt the man's intimidation and anger melt with the self-introduction of the man. Hiccup smiled as the man clapped Hiccup on the shoulder. Hiccup's smiled turned to pain as the man did it harder. Not that it hurt that much anyway, it was just the shock of it getting to him.

"Uh, my name is Hiccup," Hiccup said as the man beamed at him.

"As in Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third? The son of Stoick the Vast?" Bjorn asked Hiccup. Inger looked at Hiccup and Bjorn's excitement.

"What does that mean Bjorn?" Inger asked the larger man.

Bjorn's Terrible Terror cocked its head and looked at Bjorn confused as well, "Like Erica, Odin, Camicazi, Audun and myself, his father is a leader of one of the clans on the islands to the South. The only thing is, Hiccup's father here is the more ruthless and is known throughout the clans as one of the best dragon slayers," Bjorn said as Inger nodded along. Hiccup notched his head at hearing there were other children of chiefs here.

"Ok I get it now!" Inger cried enthusiastically.

"Wait; there are other children of chiefs here?" Hiccup asked Bjorn.

"Wow you are one poor listener aren't you kid. There are five of us here who have the claim to the chieftain roles of our village when our parents die while one of us is the child of the chief with no claim. Inger, Heather, Gunnar and Tyr have no claim but come from well off villages and are children of generals and chiefs. We're not as savage as what many of the villages make us out to be though," Bjorn said as Inger nodded to what the older man was saying. Hiccup looked to the man and could imagine him as a chief, however when he thought of Erica becoming a chief he couldn't picture it. Maybe she would be followed by Inger but he couldn't imagine her asserting her dominance over anyone else.

"Erica, has a claim?" Hiccup asked. Inger and Bjorn looked to one another.

"In a way, she doesn't like to talk about her clan though. It would be best not to ask her about it. Like the others it's a sensitive topic. I mean how would you like it if you were kicked out of your clan, never to see your family again?" Inger asked becoming quite meaningful, obviously speaking from her own experiences and drawing from her obviously close friendship with Erica.

Hiccup thought about this. Inger's words made him remember of the time a man had been exiled from their clan. He had been too young to remember the reason but he knew that it had involved a death of an important member of the clan. He had been punished by his father with treason and all of those who spoke of him after had been met with punishment.

Hiccup nodded solemnly, "I understand," he muttered not wanting to disturb the peace any more than what he already had.

Inger nodded as she looked to Bjorn. He looked to her and she nodded before walking over to Hiccup, "Well, I need to go and see Heather and get her ready for dinner. Bjorn and Gunnar will bring you to dinner soon enough," Inger said before nodding and walking out.

Bjorn looked around and sat on the bed. Shifting uncomfortably he lied down. He propped his leg up, the Terrible Terrors flying over to sit on his knee. Hiccup looked at the man awkwardly not knowing what to do or what to say. He went back over to the bag that he had brought and looked through it. Just a few clothes, some food and his dagger. He had left the helmet his father gave him back in Berk.

"What are you doing twig?" Bjorn asked. Hiccup was about to answer when there was a loud stomping coming from just outside the room.

"Bjorn have you seen Unn and Tyr? They took my satchel and I need it. Who is the shrimp?" The man was taller than Bjorn and had fire red hair like his father. He was the man that had been lying in the bed in the other room so Hiccup suspected that this was Gunnar. Inger had said that he would come and get him for dinner but she had obviously forgotten that he had been asleep…

And that he wouldn't even know who the hell Hiccup was.

"Gunnar have you been asleep all day?" Bjorn asked the man.

"Maybe,"

"Hiccup this is Gunnar. Gunnar this is Hiccup. Gunnar is our resident carpenter and he rides one of the more, colorful, RainCutter's that we have coming and going. Hiccup is our newest blacksmith and he rides a NightFury," Bjorn did the quick introduction as Gunnar nodded to the smaller man. Hiccup got the impression that Gunnar was a man of few words and wasn't open to those he didn't know.

"Kid, Bjorn do you know where they may have gone to? This is going to be the last time that they steal my crap," Gunnar said getting quite upset with his missing satchel. Bjorn shrugged not adding to the current situation and the man's growing fury.

The three men waited in awkward silence. Gunnar looked over Hiccup as he shied away from the man's gaze. Bjorn grew impatient as he continued to lie on the bed, now with three Terrible Terrors climbing over the man like he was their own personal playground.

The boys continued their awkward looking gaze and their slowly blossoming love trial when Hiccup heard what sounded like Erica's rough voice echoing up to where they currently were. Both Bjorn and Gunnar looked up and with that Hiccup believed that he actually had heard her. Bjorn stood with the three Terrible Terrors all perching on both of his shoulders and his own perched on his head. Bjorn shoved Gunnar out of the way as he walked down the hall. Hiccup followed once Gunnar had followed Bjorn. The terrors still were holding onto Bjorn as he moved down an unfamiliar hallway.

The two men finally descended down stairs to where Hiccup stood at the top and looked down on the hall below. A large wooden table had been set up in the middle of the room and surrounding it were many different dragon species sitting around and communicating to one another. Hiccup was amazed with the dragons before him. He had been brought up all of his life believing that the dragons were creatures whom weren't capable of intelligent communication or feelings. The dragons surrounding his NightFury friends included Inger's TimberJack, FangBreak, Erica's StormCutter, a lime green Typhoomerang, a dark grey and yellow Skrill, a purple colored Scauldron, a light grey SeaShocker, a bright red RainCutter, a vivid green ThunderDrum, a light red ChangeWing and a currently violet HobbleGrunt. Bjorn and Gunnar had made it to the bottom of the stairs where Erica's StormCutter turned its head so it was almost parallel to its back. It looked to the two men and followed them as they walked towards the table. The StormCutters head fins were all down and weren't defensive to the two men.

"Cliffcutter why do you always need to make sure that it's us by doing that. You know it creeps me out," Bjorn said walking over to Erica's dragon and petting its large neck with enough force to make it shake off the man. Now Hiccup knew the dragons name and was interested where it came from. That and Inger's dragons name.

Hiccup ran down the stairs to keep up with Bjorn and Gunnar, both already walking around within the group of dragons. CliffCutter turned to look at Hiccup and raised his head fins defensivly. Hiccup paused and looked to the dragon. CliffCutter moved its body to face Hiccup and it moved along the ground on its lower wings and back legs towards him. He hadn't had a good look at the boy before but had stayed with Toothless since he had been at the stable. The NightFury had been curios of the StormCutter and likewise.

When the StormCutter moved over to the boy the large dragon peered at him curiously. Rotating his head both ways to look at the boy he moved in closer to sniff him. Hiccup had smelled of three of the girls and two of the boys. CliffCutter was confused why the boy smelled only of five of the human residents and not the others. CliffCutter raised his head fins up and started to make himself larger by raising his wings. Hiccup knew that he wasn't going to hurt him so he held out his hand and placed it on the dragons flat diamond like nose. CliffCutter lowered his head fins and nuzzled the boy, throwing him onto his back.

Cliffcutter moved back to the dragons and slid the boy off of his back and onto the ground before all of the other dragons. Toothless came bounding over to his rider and started to lick the boy happily. Hiccup laughed at the dragon and didn't notice the black haired girl perched on top of the Scauldron petting the dragon lovingly and watching the NightFury and boy below her. Her dragon tensed as she noticed the neck lower slightly. Turning her head she saw Erica holding herself halfway on her Scauldron's neck. Erica's mask was tied to her waist while her own had been placed as soon as the intruder had arrived.

"Why ditch the mask Erica? Camicazi ordered-"

"Camicazi doesn't order me and Bjorn. Besides he is not dangerous Heather. He is a nice enough lad and he has trained a NightFury, more than enough credibility in my book," Erica had stopped Heather. Seeing her younger leader without the mask she took a moment to think before removing her own. Similar dark hair to Erica however hers was blacker than the darker brown that her friend and leader had.

Heather brought her hands down onto her dragon's head, a signal to be let down. The Scauldron lowered its large neck and head to be close to the NightFury and the rider. Erica reached for her dragon with her bullhook and latched onto the claw on his upper wing carefully. The Scauldron wasn't fazed by the reduction in weight and continued to lower its rider. When she reached the ground she looked to the boy. Heather noticed Bjorn sitting upon his Skrill and Gunnar stroking both of his SeaShockers head lovingly. Heather moved over to the boy and looked at him. As she moved closer he noticed her and looked at her.

Being next to the large wooden table he stood with his back to it and looked at the girl. The black NightFury moved over to the girl, remembering her to feed her the delicious salmon from before, went over and nuzzled her hands appreciatively. He looked at the girl before speaking up, "Um, hello my name is Hiccup and you must be Heather," now she knew what Inger had been talking about when she said pipsqueak.

Heather while also noticing that he was probably the same age as both Inger and Erica also noticed that he knew her name. Obviously Bjorn or Gunnar's doing. Heather looked back to Bjorn and Gunnar angrily.


	5. Chapter 5 - Naming Our Friends

"By Odin's beard!" Bjorn cried at the end of one of Hiccups many tales on his fellow students. The others who made up the small community also laughed including the normally stone faced Camicazi.

Hiccup had quickly found his place and within the first few weeks had gained a lot of support on many of his views. Apart from that he had also been incorporated into their clan. He had learnt that Camicazi, Erica and Bjorn had been there for a combined thirty years and at least ten years each. Hiccup now knew that Bjorn had been courting Camicazi for at least four years and that Erica had raised the youngest of the group, Tyr, since he had been born along with the help of her best friend (apart from Cliffcutter) Inger. He had been taught how to not be bitten by the blind mama WhisperingDeath when it was feeding time with a personal demonstration from Inger and her shoulder with a not so concerned Erica sitting by and watching her friend do something that was_ a medial task and was not something that someone of her calibre should do_.

Hiccup had also met Odin, Unn and Tyr who were also laughing heartily. Odin being a man in his mid-twenties and coming from another land altogether. When Hiccup had first met him he had mistaken him and with his thick accent had been even more wary, that was until Erica had excitedly welcomed her closest friend that wasn't a dragon or Inger who, after watching eat and chase Mama, could no longer be classed as human. Odin had sailed in and the HobbleGrunt, also known as BlueMute, had come running to his rider. The HobbleGrunt could no longer produce noise but had learnt other ways of communicating to everyone. Both Odin and BlueMute had been together since he had arrived four years before Hiccup, or so Erica had told him.

Unn and Tyr had also been introduced when they had finally arrived back to the island after sailing off to one of the neighbouring islands to trade for supplies. At first Hiccup had confused the two to be pirates or outcasts but when Camicazi had seen the two in their new outfit of choice (eye patches, heavy cloak ect) she had ordered them to immediately get changed ad report to Gunnar. He had later learned that the twenty year old Unn had been the trainer and the rider of RainCutter, also known as RainCrusher, and had been the newest resident until Hiccup had arrived. There was also the seven year old Tyr who had been raised by both Inger and Erica and when asked they were his older sisters. And when asked about his beloved dragon Tyr would always answer Hiccups questions with, Tyr belonged to the Caller and Caller belongs to Tyr. Hiccup had found out that the young boy stayed in Erica's room and would go to Inger's whenever he wanted to or whenever he fought or disagreed with the three leader's opinions.

There way of life was simple yet complex, hard yet easy, emotional but rewarding. Hiccup had been informed that many had been killed when trying to reach the island and that the dragons had always protected them with physical actions and in return they had protected the dragons by use of their voice when visiting islands. Camicazi, Heather, Bjorn and Gunnar no longer left the island in fear of being killed or hunted and tracked back to the dragon isles.

The lighting in the room cast shadows over the two, as Inger called it, love birds with both of them taking the head of the table. Erica sat next to Camicazi with Tyr between her and Inger, CliffCutter placing his large head between Camicazi and his rider. To Bjorn's side of the table Hiccup had recently been able to acquire the seat beside him. Toothless seated behind his friend and kept stealing fish from his plate when he wasn't looking. Gunnar and Odin alternated sitting beside the boy during meals the two gaining a liking to the boy who was an excellent blacksmith. Heather would always put herself next to Gunnar, the larger man being like a brother to her. There was only one person he had yet to meet, that being Audun. Inger had told him a lot about the missing Viking, more specifically the fact that he had been courting Erica for some time now.

The man had been reclusive and had yet returned to the island. Being that Hiccup had now been here for the start two weeks of winter Erica and Camicazi had lost hope that the Typhoomerang rider would return before the end of the season. Hiccup had been told that the man had been travelling to an Outcast island to buy some dragons that had been captured and that had interested the three leaders. Hiccup had always noticed that whenever something was decided upon Camicazi, Bjorn and Erica went away for a few hours every week and would discuss matters of the island and as far as anyone else knew that was all.

"Didn't we decide that Odin's beard is no longer an accurate term? I thought it was Odin's baby stubble!" Inger remarked. This made the entire table excluding Odin and Tyr break out into laughter.

Hiccup had grown to love these people that he shared the island with. Toothless had also shown Hiccup many of the surrounding islands and had been give special permission by Camicazi to be able to stay within the castle walls in case of an emergency due to the fact that Toothless couldn't fly without Hiccup or any of the other riders. Gunnar and Odin had taken Hiccup under their wing and had shown him many of the secrets that the isle's held. He had created saddles for everyone but Audun and his Typoomerang and had also forged new weapons and repaired old ones.

"Hey I'm growing one. It's just taking some time," Odin remarked. Erica and Camicazi rolled their eyes at the foreign man while the rest of the table laughed excluding Tyr who never got any of the adult's jokes.

"Fangbreak grew one faster than you. Better speed up or Tyr will get a mane before you even get your starting stubble," The hilarity of the situation was growing, however it reminded Hiccup that he had yet to learn why the dragons were know what they were. Dragons didn't need fierce names; they were already fierce enough without them.

When the group had stopped laughing and returned to eating their dinner Hiccup decided to bring up the question, "How did you come up with all of your dragons names? I mean many of them seem to have a meaning behind them," Hiccup had halted the conversations at the table.

As normal Camicazi spoke up first, "Many of us have been bonding with our dragons for many years. Normally our first encounters have something to do with what our dragons are called. Toothless had actually been known as Toothless when he first came here, for obvious reasons,"

"Inger's dragons name has the best story," Erica said arms crossed. Bjorn tipped back his mead and Camicazi sighed.

"You can tell it,"

Inger perked up happily and stood moving over to her beloved Fangbreak, "When I was just a wee lass I had a loving family," Inger said happily.

"What are you talking about you said your family life was crap!" Erica butted in.

Inger growled at her friend, "Let me tell my god fucking story, even though you are right besides this is the one chance that I get to make a good first impression on someone!"

"Like you already did for Odin?"

"Shut up! Camicazi!" Inger whined. Camicazi rolled her eyes.

"Erica, Bjorn let her be. Go on Inger,"

Inger smiled happily, "Anyway I had a loving family. My ma and my pa had raised me in a happy house and I had no brothers or sisters,"

"Don't you even dare Erica," Camicazi said as she didn't drop her gaze from Inger. Hiccup noticed that Erica was getting ready rile Inger up again but quickly stopped with her elders instruction.

"One day I was on a merry stroll through the woods to see my beloved grandmother," Inger continued.

"Bjorn, do and you share the dragon stables," Camicazi said stooping her beloved.

"Anyway when I had finally returned my clan had left me behind. They had just left with no warning. I was all on my own and I got whatever I could and tried to follow. Only after my first week alone I knew it was just going to be me until I could reunite with my family,"

"Here it comes,"

"And then one day I got the shock of my life. I had been sleeping in a cave when I heard a dragon!" Inger made everyone jump at this by jumping herself, "I had taken out my dagger and had gone to the edge of the forest. I had found a TimberJack!" Inger said as she moved over to her dragon who, of course lovingly, gave her an affectionate lick to the top of her head, "He lied there and I made my way over to where I was about to slit his throat when he turned and looked at me. He had flicked his head around and, well, he was missing a fang for a few weeks,"

"So, Fangbreak?" Hiccup asked.

"It's the only thing he responded to," Inger shrugged her shoulders.

"That and dipshit," Gunnar said from across the table.

"Even Inger responds to that. Right dipshit?"

"Right! Wait, what?" Inger missed her friends comment, her nickname being so imbedded into her that she no longer noticed what she was being called, only that she was being called by Erica.

"What about you Erica? How did you get Cliffcutter's name?" Hiccup asked. Again Erica looked to Camicazi who nodded her head. Heather looked over to Erica.

"Here's a good one," Heather spoke up for the first time in a bit. Erica poked her tongue to the girl.

"You know it's a classic! A young girl on the run!" Inger said as she tried to tell her friends story.

"I thought you would have said maiden?" Gunnar spoke.

"I didn't think it was appropriate at this stage I mean when do you think I live? The 1500's?! I'm a 21st century girl," Inger said as Erica hit her.

"What is the 21st century?" The young Tyr asked his older sister.

"21st century hasn't been invented yet," A voice called from nowhere.

"Oh, shit sorry. Continue Erica," Inger said as Erica nodded a thanks.

"When I was about, six, seven years old, I had found an injured dragon in a cage that my clan had set up to catch dragons. The biggest one was being used in a ceremony for the men in my clan. However that wasn't Cliffcutter, it was his mother. She had Cliffcutter with her and he was probably a little bit under half the size he is now. Still young. StormCutters are an interesting dragon, the females will usually only lay two eggs and when they hatch the young latch on to the mother and father when they are young and do this for some time until they are old enough to look after themselves,"

"Cliffcutter was still attached to his mother?" Hiccup asked.

Cliffcutter looked to his rider and nudged the top of her head, "Yes. He was a young male and my father found it fit that he would raise him to one day be one of the next dragon we use to train other Vikings before when he finally matured to kill in ceremony," Erica said as she stood grabbing her bullhook and using the blunt end to show a large mismatched are of scales on her dragons face and wing, "I had grown to love dragons, even though my mother had been killed by them I couldn't get over their beauty. My clan loved to hate and kill dragons. Nothing could stop them from doing this. Because I had been a child of the leader I had been born to kill dragons and to become the next leader. When I had to watch Cliffcutter being pried from his mother and her being killed before him I knew I could never hurt dragons. That night while my village celebrated and Cliffcutter wept I got my bullhook and freed the young dragon. I never expected the dragon to bond with me," Erica said as she rubbed her hand over her dragons face lovingly. Cliffcutter nuzzled her back. Hiccup had become involved with the story and had grown to be interested in the backstories he had been presented about the dragons behind some of his closest friends.

"You expected to become chief and forget about it?" Hiccup asked Erica, however she sighed.

"I expected to be found out and executed for my crime," Erica said looking to Hiccup, "However, he wouldn't leave without me. I tried everything but, my father came to check on the dragons in the pen. More specifically the young StormCutter. He found me freeing the dragon and gave me the choice, kill the dragon or be pushed off the edge of the cliff. I threw my bullhook into the ocean showing him my choice; Cliffcutter went to get it for me. My father knew I no longer belonged to him and charged me. He pushed me off the cliff and at the last second I had been saved by the dragon I had just rescued. Of course my father pursued me for many months but I finally found a fellow dragon rider. Camicazi and Bjorn brought me back to the island where they found he had been cut when getting me my bullhook. So he saved me from a cliff and he had also been hurt in the process, hence Cliffcutter," Erica said lovingly rubbing her head against her dragons.

"Is that why you don't leave the island often? Because your father is still out there?" Hiccup asked however Erica just shrugged.

"If I ever was to run into my father again, then gods help us all,"

Chapter 6 - Naming Our Friends and Other Tall Tales part 2

Erica came back over with a tankard of mead and handed it to Bjorn sitting down next to the larger man. He grinned as he took a drink from the tankard, "So who's next?" Hiccup asked.

Heather grinned, "Since we just had such a lovely tale of love and affection I have the perfect story to follow up with," She said as she walked over to her Scauldron.

"But your Scauldron's called Scauldy. Not the best of stories to follow up with," Inger butted in.

"Whatever Inger. At least I didn't try killing him."

"No, but you did turn tail and ran off," The group laughed as Inger stood up and bowed at her audience.


End file.
